CMC Markets vs Raydium: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between CMC Markets and Raydium This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on September 3, 2025

CMC Markets

Raydium

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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CMC Markets is ideal if:

Designed for experienced derivative traders, especially those who value advanced customization and powerful analytical tools across multiple platforms.
Ideal if you seek a highly regulated, globally trusted provider with deep sector expertise and mature infrastructure.
Great choice for anyone wanting access to a wide spectrum of tradable instruments and rich educational resources in one robust ecosystem.

Raydium is ideal if:

If you thrive in the Solana ecosystem, Raydium’s high-speed, low-cost swaps and deep liquidity integration make it a natural fit.
If you're focused on strategic DeFi participation, its Fusion Pools and community-driven token offerings offer advanced, flexible yield opportunities.
If you value non-custodial trading with order-book precision, Raydium’s hybrid AMM design delivers professional execution without sacrificing decentralization.

CMC Markets isn’t ideal if:

Raydium isn’t ideal if:

If you prefer multi-chain access, Raydium’s strong Solana reliance may feel limiting compared to DEXs that support Ethereum, BNB Chain, or others.
If transparency matters deeply to you, Raydium’s largely anonymous founding team can raise concerns about long-term accountability.
If you prioritize ultra-robust security, ongoing DeFi exploit risks and Solana-dependency may be a deterrent despite audits.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

CMC Markets does not operate a traditional maker/taker fee structure or tiered volume discounts and does not offer any cost reductions tied to a native token.

fee tiers & native-token discounts Raydium applies a straightforward spot trading fee (maker and taker both), typically around 0.25%, with pools varying based on design—some concentrated-liquidity or specialty pools offer lower tiers down to 0.01%, and fees funnel back into liquidity rewards and RAY buybacks, though no explicit discount for using RAY is mentioned in their core documentation.

Futures/Derivatives

CMC Markets provides CFDs and spread bets on derivatives, but it does not publish distinct maker/taker pricing or funding rates as you’d find on crypto futures exchanges.

maker/taker & funding During its futures/perpetuals beta phase via the Orderly Network, Raydium offered remarkably low costs—0% maker fees and 0.025% taker fees—supported by Solana’s gas-free environment; funding rates weren’t prominently disclosed, suggesting they might align with market norms or be negotiated per contract.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

For major crypto pairs like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the platform offers relatively tight spreads—even for top-tier tokens—thanks to aggregated pricing feeds and fast execution.

Thanks to its AMM structure integrated with the OpenBook order book, Raydium delivers competitive pricing and tight spreads on high-liquidity pairs like BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT, leveraging deep order flow to minimize slippage and price impact for traders.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Users can fund their account via bank transfers or cards; processing times vary by method, and while there may be standard processing delays, no explicit deposit or withdrawal fees are highlighted.

Raydium does not support fiat on-ramps or off-ramps—it operates strictly in crypto, so users must first acquire assets on other platforms; this means no direct methods, no fiat fees or timing to report, as all funding must occur via SPL-compatible wallets.

On-chain Withdrawals

CMC Markets does not support direct withdrawals to crypto wallets, so there are no on-chain network fees—either fixed or dynamic—to consider.

Withdrawals on Raydium only incur blockchain network (“gas”) fees, which are dynamic depending on Solana network pressure; there’s no fixed withdrawal fee from the protocol itself, so you only pay the variable SOL-based cost for execution.

Hidden Costs

While the platform primarily centers on spreads and overnight costs, indirect expenses may include currency conversion margins or potential costs if accounts go dormant, though these are not prominently marketed.

There are essentially no hidden or extra fees on Raydium—no conversion or inactivity charges and no KYC express or expedited processing costs—since user assets remain self-custodied, and the protocol maintains a fully decentralized, permissionless stance without such financial add-ons.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you purchased €500 worth of Bitcoin through CMC Markets via CFDs, your effective cost would stem from the spread on the BTC position; since direct crypto ownership and withdrawals aren’t offered, you wouldn’t incur any separate withdrawal costs—just the cost implied by spread and position closure.

Imagine buying €500 worth of BTC via Raydium: you’d first swap an equivalent amount of crypto—incurring a ~0.25% swap fee plus minimal slippage—then withdraw BTC to your wallet, paying only the on-chain SOL network fee; there’s no fiat fee, and all costs stay modest and transparent.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

CMC Markets offers CFDs on more than 35 cryptocurrencies—including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, XRP, meme coins, and newly added altcoins—though it doesn’t show distinct listings for “top 20 by volume.” Their platform also provides indices that bundle both major and emerging crypto for broader exposure.

Raydium supports over a thousand SPL-based tokens and boasts more than a thousand trading pairs, while its top 20 pairs by volume typically include heavy hitters within the Solana ecosystem with significant liquidity and trade activity.

Product Range

All crypto offerings come exclusively as leveraged derivative CFDs or spread bets; there’s no true spot crypto, no futures/perps, options, ETFs, staking, lending, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA tools available.

Raydium delivers core DeFi services such as spot swaps, staking, yield farming, token launchpad (AcceleRaytor), concentrated liquidity provisioning (Fusion Pools), and perpetual futures trading—all within a self-custodial, on-chain environment.

Liquidity

While CMC doesn’t disclose specific 24-hour volumes or depth metrics, its aggregated pricing across multiple sources ensures consistently deep, responsive liquidity, especially for BTC and ETH.

24h Volume & Book Depth Raydium often records daily volumes in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, supported by combined pool and order-book liquidity, which ensures ample depth—especially for major assets like BTC-SOL or ETH-SOL equivalents on Solana.

Tools

The platform supports advanced trading features, including limit, stop, and OCO orders, real-time alerts, rich charting tools (including native TradingView integration), and robust API and WebSocket access for automated trading.

Users benefit from advanced trading features like limit orders, integration with OpenBook’s on-chain order book, real-time trading analytics, and straightforward interaction via wallet-connected interfaces, though classic charting tools like TradingView aren’t native.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain products like CFDs and spread bets are unavailable in jurisdictions that ban them—such as the U.S.—meaning crypto derivatives are accessible only in regions where CFD trading is permitted under local regulation.

Certain decentralized features of Raydium—especially derivatives or token launches—may be inaccessible to residents of restricted territories such as the U.S. and others, while core swapping and staking remain broadly available

Innovation

CMC Markets does not offer crypto-focused innovation services like launchpads, launchpools, or flexible/locked staking; its emphasis remains on delivering traditional CFD-based trading experiences rather than DeFi-style earn mechanisms.

Raydium stands out with its permissionless launchpad for token offerings and the option for flexible vs locked staking; launch initiatives like AcceleRaytor and concentrated liquidity pools offer dynamic ways to participate in emerging projects.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

CMC Markets plc, founded in 1989 and headquartered in London, operates globally with regional subsidiaries under local regulatory oversight.

Raydium is developed by a decentralized team operating under Solana’s framework, without a publicly registered corporate entity or formal headquarters, reflecting typical DeFi protocol structure.

Licenses/Registration

The firm holds multiple high-tier licenses—including from the UK’s FCA, Germany’s BaFin, Australia’s ASIC, Singapore’s MAS, and Canada’s CIRO—providing broad regulatory coverage.

The protocol does not hold formal regulatory licenses like VASP or MiCA registration, operating instead as a permissionless DeFi platform without centralized oversight.

Custody

Client deposits are segregated in reputable banks and undergo daily reconciliations and annual audits, though no public proof-of-reserves or cold storage percentages are provided.

Users retain full self-custody of their assets with no third-party custody; while audits and bug bounty programs bolster confidence, there’s no published proof of reserves or specified cold storage ratio.

Insurance & Protection Funds

Eligible retail clients benefit from compensation schemes such as the UK’s FSCS and Canada’s CIPF, alongside negative balance protection, where applicable.

There’s no on-chain insurance or formally designated protection fund from Raydium—risk mitigation relies on community governance, audits, and bounty incentives rather than external insurance mechanisms.

Incident History

CMC Markets has a clean cybersecurity record with no reported hacks or major incidents, though it faced legal scrutiny over CFD practices in Australia and regulatory breaches in past years.

In late 2022, Raydium suffered a significant liquidity exploit (~$5M) due to a private key compromise, after which emergency governance steps and DAO-funded compensation were enacted to address losses.

Risk Controls

The platform offers strong security features including two-factor authentication (via app or SMS, required for withdrawals), encrypted data, anti-fraud mechanisms, and secure API access.

Smart contracts are controlled via upgradeable programs safeguarded by Squads multisig; there’s an active bug bounty system, but typical end-user protections like 2FA, whitelists, or API permission tiers are not part of its non-custodial design.

Transparency

CMC Markets provides regular reporting on execution quality and fund segregation, but does not publish public wallet addresses or formal SLA guarantees.

The platform maintains visible on-chain admin controls, regular audit disclosures, and governance updates, but does not provide formal monthly reports or SLAs—transparency is primarily through protocol documentation and community channels.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

CMC Markets accepts deposits via bank transfer, credit/debit cards, and sometimes e-wallets; card deposits can go up to around $50,000 per transaction (depending on card issuer), while bank limits depend on your bank, and funds are typically available almost instantly for cards or on the next business day for bank transfers.

Raydium does not support any fiat deposit methods—no bank transfer, card, or e-wallet options—so users must initially acquire crypto elsewhere before interacting with the protocol.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

Raydium does not support any fiat deposit methods—no bank transfer, card, or e-wallet options—so users must initially acquire crypto elsewhere before interacting with the protocol.

KYC (Verification Levels)

You must complete identity verification before trading; while CMC does not publish tiered verification levels or trading limits, verification is mandatory for full access and withdrawal capabilities.

Being a decentralized protocol, Raydium requires no KYC at any level—there are no identity verification steps, thus no transaction limits or tiers tied to KYC status.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are possible via card, bank transfer, or PayPal (where available); there’s a daily cap (e.g., ~$40,000 to card, up to €10,000 to PayPal), unlimited withdrawals to registered bank accounts, and typical processing ranges from same-day to a few business days; direct crypto withdrawals (TRC20/ERC20/BEP20) are not supported.

Limits, Timing & Networks

Customer Support

CMC Markets provides support through email, phone, and live chat (operating during business hours), supported by a rich knowledge base—response times vary but generally align with office hours.

Raydium offers support through a help center, email, and active community forums like Discord and Telegram, but does not provide 24/7 live chat or guaranteed response times.

Languages & Localization

Services are localized across regions—platforms often display in local languages (including native Spanish where available), show pricing in local fiat (€, etc.), and operate under applicable local regulations.

Raydium’s interface is primarily provided in English, with no native Spanish support, no fiat-denominated pricing, and no country-specific localization features for regulatory compliance or currency display.

App Quality & Stability

The mobile and desktop apps are regularly updated and known for robust stability, with very low crash rates reported, though exact metrics aren’t published—users generally report smooth and reliable performance.

Raydium’s mobile app supports full DeFi functionality with a smooth interface and high responsiveness; while exact crash metrics aren’t published, user feedback indicates consistent performance and frequent feature refinements.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

CMC Markets’ flagship interface, Next Generation, is feature-rich and award-winning, offering saved layouts and module linking for efficient navigation; while there’s no explicit “Lite” mode, their platforms cater to both seasoned traders (via advanced tools and customizable dashboards) and those who prefer a streamlined setup.

Raydium’s revamped V3 interface delivers a cleaner, more intuitive navigation, consolidating pools, dashboards, and portfolio elements into one layout; while it doesn’t offer separate “Lite” or “Pro” modes, the design balances simplicity for newcomers with advanced routing features beneficial to experienced DeFi users.

Performance

Their co-located London data centers and proprietary API connectivity deliver low-latency order execution—even under high loads—though occasional freezing or slippage can happen during peak volatility; KYC processing tends to follow regular timing without widespread reports of long queues during market surges.

With Solana’s high throughput under the hood, Raydium provides fast order execution and smooth interface performance, though network congestion on Solana can occasionally introduce delays during extreme volatility or high-traffic periods.

Education

CMC Markets offers a rich education suite including video guides, platform tutorials, webinars, and articles, plus a risk-free demo account that stays active indefinitely and supports strategy testing—with materials often localized, including Spanish-language versions in select regions.

Raydium offers educational content through its Academy and governance forums, but lacks built-in demo or simulator tools and has limited Spanish-language resources, relying mostly on English documentation and community translations.

Community

The platform includes an integrated trading forum where users can share strategies and sentiment, however CMC does not officially promote Discord or Telegram channels, and while referral programs may exist regionally, they’re not prominently advertised.

Raydium maintains an active base across Discord, Telegram, Twitter, and governance town halls, fostering strong community engagement and support—though it doesn’t currently offer a formal referral program.

Integrations

Users benefit from native TradingView-grade charting and pattern tools, plus API/WebSocket access for third-party automation, although there’s no direct integration with tax-reporting or portfolio accounting platforms.

Raydium supports SDK and API access, allowing third-party integration with tax platforms, external bots, and accounting tools; however, it lacks native TradingView integration, so charting relies on built-in graph elements or external platforms.

Who Each One Is Best For

The platform is ideal for analytical, advanced traders who value deep charting tools, customization, and learning resources; it may be less suited to those seeking social trading, mobile-first simplification, or integrated accounting and bot ecosystems.

Raydium shines for users immersed in the Solana ecosystem who value fast, composable DeFi trading and liquidity tools, while casual crypto users or those seeking multi-chain, fiat-based simplicity may find interfaces like centralized exchanges or cross-chain DEXs more accessible.